Sen. Flake apologizes for son's derogatory tweets

PHOENIX (CBS5) -

An Arizona lawmaker is cleaning up homophobic, racist and anti-Semitic comments his teenage son made online.

Tanner Flake, the son of Sen. Jeff Flake, posted offensive remarks on Twitter, threatening to beat up a person who stole his bike and calling that person a derogatory slur aimed at someone's sexuality.

Tanner Flake has since locked his Twitter account, but a series of tweets from January and February show he used slurs during that time period, according to the website BuzzFeed.

CBS 5 has also learned Tanner Flake posted dozens of derogatory comments on video posts from his YouTube account.

Commenting on one video, Tanner Flake writes, "Mexicans are the scum of the earth." He comments on other videos using the "n-word" to describe African Americans.

"I'm very disappointed in my teenage son's words, and I sincerely apologize for the insensitivity. This language is unacceptable, anywhere. Needless to say, I've already spoken with him about this. He has apologized, and I apologize as well," Jeff Flake said in a statement to CBS 5 News.

Tanner Flake went on a real-life survivor experience with his brother and father earlier this month.

Civil rights activists are asking U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake to meet with them to discuss his son's derogatory tweets. Rev. Jarrett Maupin is joined by other community leaders including Rev. Oscar Tillman ofFull Story >

Civil rights activists are issuing a letter to Sen. Jeff Flake condemning the recent racist remarks made by his son, Tanner Flake.Full Story >